Date: January 25th, 2010
Article by: Joe Anderson (Hardware Reviewer)
Edited By: Nathan Glentworth (Owner / Head Editor)
Product was submitted by: Xigmatek
 <--CLICK FOR PRICES ON A XIGMATEK COOLER IN AMERICA
 <--CLICK FOR PRICES ON A XIGMATEK COOLER IN CANADA
PRODUCT PICTORIAL AND WALKTHROUGH
The backplate for the Intel mounting solution is really quite ingenious. One side of the plate has four individual adhesive pads that can be used to hold the plate in place during installation, and is drilled and tapped to support either 1156 or 1366 sockets. Flipping the plate over reveals the 775 mounts. Coupled with the spring loaded mounting screws, this is a very clever, robust solution that should be relatively easy to get installed. We'll see.
AMD users will have even less work to do as the included bracket interfaces with the OEM retention bracket on the motherboard. It doesn't get much easier than this.
The included 120x25mm fan supports PWM control and has an RPM range of 1000 to 2200, with a maximum flow of almost 90 CFM. With a maximum pressure rating of 4.1mmH2O, this fan should be more than up to the task. The clear/smoke colored blades and frame are complimented by four white LEDs for a bit of style to go with the performance. Xigmatek includes eight rubber fan mounting units (to be used either as spares or to mount an identical fan) that interface with the fin slots on the cooler for a secure and vibration free installation.
I'm anxious to see how the Balder performs, so let's proceed to the installation phase of this review.
|
